Dogs have been the man’s best friend for thousands of years, the friendship going back the times man first domesticated beasts and to this day, dogs are still the most loyal animals around. Nowadays dogs are mostly pet companions but they are still used in other parts of the world as protection dogs by shepherds.

As many of us know there are many types of dogs, from small ones that are very energetic to the big ones that remind us they are the cousins of the still untainted wolf, so it may not be a surprise that the big ones are still being used as property guard dogs or as security dogs in different state owned institutions or airports around the world. In addition to their size, one must not ignore the extraordinary senses a dog has, such as his nose.

In comparison with the human nose, it is said that dog has a ten thousand times more a sensitive nose thus being very useful for state institutions fighting against organized crime and illegal smuggling of goods or drugs. It is a fact that dogs are used in such a manner to help man wherever it can and there are companies specialised in training guard dogs or security dogs.
This being said, how about getting a guard dog to protect your own personal property perimeter? Is this a viable solution in addition to the classing doorman hiring, or the more contemporary security camera systems?

We see many action movies that big properties usually also have guard dogs to keep the owner’s property perimeter safe and they can be or not effective, depending on the situation. Hence the arguments in real day life about having a perimeter guard god around or not, so who gets it right? Is a guard dog or a personal security dog a good solution for keeping your property safe?
The answer is pretty straight forward even if some may be disappointed, it’s yes. Personal protection dogs, security dogs or guard dogs are indeed effective in protecting your property, so if you were thinking about getting a guard dog but you weren’t sure if it would worth it, get it because it is worth it.

Guard dogs have excellent hearing and as stated before a highly sensitive nose so it can detect burglars very early in the process. There are dogs trained to bark when they detect an intruder and there are dogs trained to also attack the target if possible, so it’s up to you which type of guard dog you will get for your property. Stay safe!

Dog owners are now being warned to look after their family protection dogs and other pets, and be on the lookout for signs of babesiosis, a tick-borne disease that can be fatal for dogs.

The first recorded outbreak of the disease has now been seen in the UK, with animal disease experts blaming more relaxed pet travel restrictions in Europe. The outbreak is currently restricted to Harlow in Essex but it’s thought that it is inevitable it will spread throughout the UK, the Guardian reports.

So far, one dog has died and three have fallen seriously ill after contracting the disease, with none of the four affected having travelled out of the UK.

The vet in Harlow who first identified the disease in this country, Clive Swainsbury, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the area is localised and well defined at the moment but the problem is that each female tick will lay thousands of eggs, all of which will carry the disease.

“The parasite enters the bloodstream and in the process of trying to kill the parasite, the dog will destroy its own blood cells and become very, very anaemic. The only way [to deal with it] is to kill the tick quickly, because the tick has to be feeding for 24 hours at least before it transmits the disease,” he explained.

Dogs that spend a lot of time outside or in wooded areas are more likely to be bitten by ticks, so make sure you check your pets over thoroughly when you’ve taken them for a walk. Symptoms of babesiosis include lack of energy and appetite, a fever, weight loss, pale gums and yellow or orange skin.

Point in case is this charity exhibition tennis game in Brazil organised by the Association of Animal Wellbeing to show that shelter dogs can be rehomed and retrained. For the match at the Brazil Open tennis tournament, four dogs were trained as ‘ball dogs’, fetching the balls and returning them, although somewhat reluctantly at times, to the players, according to CNN.com.

Andrea Beckert from the Association of Animal Wellbeing said: “We want to show that abandoned dogs can be adopted and trained… it’s not easy to get a dog to only pick up the lost balls and then to give them up!”

The dogs donned an orange bandana and chased the balls around for half an hour, cheered on by the crowds, as players Roberto Carballes Baena from Spain and Gastao Elias from Portugal played the points.

This isn’t the first time dogs have been hard at work during a tennis match, however. Last month, the world swooned over a team of ball-dogs at a match featuring Venus Williams in Auckland New Zealand. You can watch the video of them hard at work here.

However, it might not be on the cards that ball-dogs will become a regular fixture at actual tennis matches – looking at these videos, the players seem to be more than a little distracted by these particular working dogs.

In the wake of the latest terrorist attacks you may be looking to improve security for your family by looking for family protection dogs for sale.

The terrorist attacks that took place in Paris last month have led to many people, organisations and countries considering how they can protect themselves more in today’s climate.

Russia has just unveiled body armour for dogs, after a police dog was killed in the line of duty during the attacks on Paris. The dog had been sent ahead of police to see if there were any people left in a room after gunfire died down. Sadly gunfire was opened on the dog, which was just months of retirement, The Express newspaper reported.

The hi-tec vest can be put on the dog in minutes, though the designers did warn that it took some getting used to for the dogs who are not used to wearing armour.

The vest is in two parts and protects both the dog’s neck and chest, and additional armour can be placed on the dog’s legs.

Russia has also donated a puppy to Paris, in memory of the dog, Diesel, who was shot in police raids on terrorists last month. The puppy, named Dobrynia, was sent to Paris to help fight “against terrorism” and is expected to be trained as a police dog, having already been bred for that purpose and having initiated training in Russia.

The hashtag #jesuischien, in memory of Diesel, proved controversial as some suggested it detracted from the loss of human lives.

If you’re looking at investing in personal protection dogs, it might be wise to avoid buying a Chow Chow, as new research has revealed that these dogs are in fact the most claim prone, so you could find yourself spending a lot of money on insurance.

Conducted by Direct Line Pet Insurance, the study found that 64 per cent of these dogs have had incidents that resulted in their owners having to make a claim, while boxers and bull terriers were the second and third most claim-prone breeds.

The top ten was made up of Chow Chows, boxers, bull terriers, Doberman pinschers, American bulldogs, Great Danes, giant schnauzers, bulldogs, Dogue de Bordeaux and Rottweilers.

One reason why Chow Chows may head up the rundown is because they are prone to a large number of different health problems, such as hip and elbow dysplasia, and entropion. Where the eyelids turn inwards and cause pain and irritation to the dog.

“The most claim-prone dogs tend to be larger breeds because they are generally susceptible to more genetic health issues, often around bone development, and have a shorter life span,” veterinary nurse with the company Madeline Pike said.

Some of the healthiest dogs include border collies, Siberian huskies, Australian cattle dogs, Samoyeds and Icelandic sheepdogs. It might be wise to do some research into healthy dog breeds before you invest in one to serve as a family protection dog. If you need further advice, give us a call here at Total K9 today.